The plane comes in for a smooth landing at Kotoka Airport, Accra, Ghana. At night, from high above, Accra looks like any other city – dark and mysterious, with twinkling shimmers of light – in a word, breathtaking. It's only when the passenger door opens and you step out into the heat that is Ghana does being in a tropical climate become a reality. Akwaaba! Welcome!

Accra has many of the same amenities and qualities that you'd find in the capital city of any other country – consulates and embassies of many nations; individuals who speak many different languages, and who wear the national dress of their particular country or religion, highways, banks, hospitals, supermarkets, shopping malls, mobile phones, a variety of international foodstuffs and restaurants, taxis, buses, hotels, etc., it's all here. How to find all of these things can be the challenge.

You probably know this already, that you're off to a wonderful adventure, but it will be only as good as you make it. As with every new experience, preparation is key. Make a point of familiarizing yourself with some of the basic aspects of the Ghanaian culture before you even depart your home country. You could participate in a West African drumming class, visit a Ghanaian restaurant, and talk to your friends, colleagues and neighbors to see if they have any connection or experience in Ghana that they'd be willing to share.

We've tried to be as comprehensive as possible in the categories listed throughout this book but your best up-to-date reference is the people you meet upon arrival.